Abstract: A computer processor comprises: a fetch unit that reads and writes instructions and data, a register file including a plurality of registers, which includes a general-purpose register and a special register, an arithmetic logic unit that performs computational processing, a decoder/controller that interprets the instructions and generates a control signal, a symmetric network interface that includes a master interface and a slave interface and that is connected to an on-chip network; and a service controller that receives a service request from the external source through the on-chip network and the symmetric network interface, that communicates with the decoder/controller to send and receive a state of the service request and a state of the computer processor, and that copies an instruction address of a subroutine for executing the service request to a program counter to perform an operation of a designated code when the decoder/controller determines execution of the service request.

Abstract: An example apparatus can include a host device and an apparatus including a memory device and a controller coupled to the memory device, wherein the host device is configured to send a command to read an image to configure the host to boot from the memory device to the controller and wherein a base address register is configured to receive the command, indicate the size of the image, and redirect the command to a first image in memory using a first register that indicates a size of the first image and a second register that indicates a location of the first image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting deadlock in a hardware design. The method comprises identifying one or more control signals in the hardware design; generating a state machine for each of the one or more control signals to track the state of the control signal; generating one or more assertions for each control signal to detect that the control signal is in a deadlock state from the state machine; and detecting whether any of the one or more control signal are in a deadlock state using the assertions. The method may also comprise generating one or more fairness constraints to impose on a particular assertion and detecting the particular control signal is in the deadlock state using the assertions under the fairness constraints.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for performing health checks on a system including a plurality of heterogeneous system components. In use, incoming metrics are received from a system including a plurality of heterogeneous components. Each of the incoming metrics are associated with one or more of the plurality of heterogeneous components. An expected value is identified for each of the received metrics from a repository including a plurality of expected values each associated with one or more of a plurality of metrics. Values of each of the received metrics are compared with a corresponding identified expected value to identify one or more anomalies in the received metrics. Further, at least one rule to utilize is identified, based on the identified one or more anomalies in the received metrics. Additionally, one or more solutions to remedy at least one cause of the one or more anomalies in the received metrics are identified, based on the at least one rule.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting deadlock in a hardware design. The method comprises identifying one or more control signals in the hardware design; generating a state machine for each of the one or more control signals to track the state of the control signal; generating one or more assertions for each control signal to detect that the control signal is in a deadlock state from the state machine; and detecting whether any of the one or more control signal are in a deadlock state using the assertions. The method may also comprise generating one or more fairness constraints to impose on a particular assertion and detecting the particular control signal is in the deadlock state using the assertions under the fairness constraints.

Abstract: A mobile communication system includes a plurality of call processing servers and a call processing management database that holds data necessary for call processing. The call processing server includes a call processing request accepting unit that accepts a request for call processing, a registration unit that registers the own node as the call processing server that is executing the call processing, an acquisition unit that acquires information of the mobile communication terminal related to the call processing request from the call processing management database or from the call processing server registered as the call processing server that is executing the call processing, a call processing unit that perform call processing, and a call processing result storage unit that stores information of a result of the call processing in the call processing management database.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image display and a method for compensating for a crosstalk of the stereoscopic image display are disclosed. The stereoscopic image display includes a crosstalk compensation circuit and a display element. The crosstalk compensation circuit detects an input frame frequency, performs over driving control (ODC) modulation on 3D data to firstly compensate for a crosstalk of the 3D data, and multiplies the firstly compensated 3D data by a constant value, which is previously determined depending on the detected input frame frequency and is greater than zero and equal to or less than 1, to finally compensate for the crosstalk of the 3D data. The display element displays left eye image data and right eye image data included in the finally compensated 3D data in a time division manner.

Abstract: System and method to improve intelligibility of coded speech, the method including: receiving an encoded speech signal from a network; extracting an encoded media data stream and one or more control data packets from the encoded speech signal; decoding the encoded media data stream to produce a decoded speech signal; boosting an upper spectral portion of the decoded speech signal to produce a boosted speech signal; and outputting the boosted speech signal. In another embodiment, the method may include: receiving an uncoded speech signal; processing the uncoded speech signal, wherein the processing comprises generating an unencoded data stream from the uncoded speech signal; boosting an upper spectral portion of the unencoded data stream to produce a boosted speech signal; encoding the boosted speech signal to produce an encoded speech signal; and outputting the boosted speech signal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing multi-homing to an aggregate endpoint device over a network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method receives a session request directed towards a user endpoint device by a routing device. The method receives at least one Public User Identity (PUID) for the user endpoint device if the session request is for a subscriber of a service with multi-homing via an aggregate endpoint device. The method selects a route for sending the session request in accordance with the at least one PUID and a route priority information of the PUID associated with the user end point device, wherein the route with a highest priority is selected, and forwards the session request via the selected route.

Abstract: A method of transmitting speech data to a remote device in a distributed speech recognition system, includes the steps of: dividing an input speech signal into frames; calculating, for each frame, a voice activity value representative of the presence of speech activity in the frame; grouping the frames into multiframes, each multiframe including a predetermined number of frames; calculating, for each multiframe, a voice activity marker representative of the number of frames in the multiframe representing speech activity; and selectively transmitting, on the basis of the voice activity marker associated with each multiframe, the multiframes to the remote device.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for performing a distributed control of end-to-end media on packet networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks are disclosed. The method first receives a request from a first media endpoint device for opening at least one media channel to a second media endpoint device wherein said request contains a descriptor of said first media endpoint device. The method then updates one or more slot states and link states in response to said request and records the current state of each slot for supporting said media channel. The method also records the most recently received descriptor of said media endpoint device as a most recent descriptor for said slot supporting said media channel. The method executes one or more link objects in response to said request for controlling said at least one media channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for exchanging configuration information within a call center system between a central server and a plurality of dissimilar contact centers. The method includes the steps of the central server monitoring an contact center of the plurality of dissimilar contact centers for a configuration change message and converting the configuration change between a format of the central server and a format of a subscribing contact center of the plurality of contact centers, where the subscribing contact center is different than the monitored contact center.

Abstract: A call center system has a computerized server executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium, a data collection function of the SW enabled for collecting data regarding incoming transactions, a data processing function coupled to the data collection engine and enabled for processing the data collected against a set of business rules, the data processing function determining a priority level for individual ones of the incoming transactions, and a distribution function enabled for distributing a priority indication determined by the data processing function to one or more presentation interfaces accessible to agents, at or near the time the associated transaction is engaged by the agent.

Abstract: A system for establishing a connection between a contact requester (i.e. a potential customer) and a communications center is disclosed. The system has a message receiver which accepts a message from a communications device, such as a mobile telephone or a PDA, and a contact number. The contact number is usually the number of the mobile telephone or PDA. The system has furthermore a parser for parsing the message and identifying one or more identifiers in the message, including a destination identifier. The destination identifier indicates the number of a communications center, such as a call center, to which the message should be sent. A connector in the system uses the destination identifier and the contact number to establish a connection between a requested one of the communications centers and the contact requester.

Abstract: A switching apparatus distributes incoming calls to end point terminals that belong to a service group and that interact with the switching apparatus via messages. The messages query the end point terminals by specifying a range and asking those end point terminals that meet a criterion associated with the range to respond. By iteratively narrowing the range, for example, in a binary search fashion, one of the end point terminals is selected. In one embodiment, the range relates to fixed sequence IDs of the end point terminals and the criterion relates to whether an end point terminal is idle or not. In another embodiment, the range incorporates the idle/not idle state of the end point terminals by specifying idle time durations.

Abstract: A method of routing calls of an automatic call distributor system that includes receiving a first workflow, comprising a desired behavior, associated with a first agent of a plurality of agents and receiving at least one request from a respective user for connection with one of the agents. The method also includes monitoring system information and executing the first workflow after the first agent becomes available for connection with one of the requests. The method includes selecting a first request of the at least one request, wherein the first request is selected based on the first agent's desired behavior and the monitored system information, and connecting the first request to the first agent. The method may also include receiving a notification that the first agent is available for connection with one of the respective users, and executing the first workflow after receiving the notification that the first agent is available.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for avoiding demand forecast errors in a network topology model having a plurality of nodes, by monitoring and controlling the quantity of a selected port type at a node. The method comprises determining the actual quantity of a selected port type at a node, setting a forecast of the quantity of the port required, setting a forecast period for the ports, wherein the forecast period is a function of the time required to change the quantity of the ports, and setting a threshold value to generate alerts, wherein the threshold value is a function of the forecast period; monitoring the node for a forecast change, if a forecast change is found then computing the difference between the actual quantity and the forecast quantity, wherein if the difference is greater than the threshold value, then generating an alert and forwarding the alert to a user.

Abstract: A method for resetting a component of an off-card assembly in a redundant system, the redundant system having first and second control plane cards coupled to the off-card assembly by respective serial interfaces, each serial interface including a respective status line and a respective clock line, each status line for providing a respective activity indication and a respective reset instruction, each clock line for providing a respective clock signal, the method comprising: monitoring respective activity indications and clock signals from the first and second control plane cards by the off-card assembly to determine which of the first and second control plane cards is an active card; and, selecting the reset instruction from the active card to reset the component, thereby resolving any conflict between respective reset instructions.

Abstract: An electronic synchronous/asynchronous transceiver device for power line communication networks is integrated into a single chip and operates from a single supply voltage. The transceiver device includes: at least an internal register that is programmable through a synchronous serial interface; at least a line driver for a two-way network communication over power lines implemented by a single ended power amplifier with direct accessible input and output lines that is part of a tunable active filter for the transmission path; and at least a couple of linear regulators for powering with different voltage levels different kind of external controllers linked to the transceiver device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a telephone exchange apparatus includes a plurality of processors whose connect communication lines differing in communication protocol from one another, a memory which stores a plurality of items of protocol unique information to process communication signals corresponding to the plurality of processors, a communication controller which is connected to the plurality of processors via control buses with smaller transmission capacities than those of the plurality of communication lines and reads the corresponding-protocol unique information from the memory based on notified protocol identification information and makes the corresponding processor execute signal processing by the protocol unique information, and a call controller which notifies protocol identification information corresponding to a communication line to be added to the communication controller, when a setting request for a call is issued.

Abstract: A switching apparatus distributes incoming calls to end point terminals that belong to a service group and that interact with the switching apparatus via messages. The messages query the end point terminals by specifying a range and asking those end point terminals that meet a criterion associated with the range to respond. By iteratively narrowing the range, for example, in a binary search fashion, one of the end point terminals is selected. In one embodiment, the range relates to fixed sequence IDs of the end point terminals and the criterion relates to whether an end point terminal is idle or not. In another embodiment, the range incorporates the idle/not idle state of the end point terminals by specifying idle time durations.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method of managing service information in a network management system. The method includes the steps of loading the service information from a database into objects in a structure stored in a memory, receiving a change to be made to the service information, updating particular objects in accordance with the received change and sending a change notification to network nodes in accordance with a relationship in the structure between the particular objects.

Abstract: A system for granting access to agents at a communication center in response to requests for connection from network-level entities starts a fairness timer having a fairness time period when a first request is received for and agent, monitors any other requests for the same agent during the fairness time, and executes an algorithm at the end of the fairness time to select the network-level entity to which the request should be granted. In a preferred embodiment the fairness time is set to be equal to or greater than twice the difference between network round-trip latency for the longest latency and shortest latency routers requesting service from the communication center.

Abstract: The invention relates to bus type connection systems, in particular those for wiring backplanes of electronic systems, when the bus comprises connectors distributed in an irregular manner. It consists in selecting segments (D1, D2) over which the intervals (d1, d2) between the connectors are substantially constant. The structure of all the segments except one is then modified to make the effective impedance of the modified segments coincide with that of the unmodified segment. It produces a bus that is fully matched from end to end and able to operate at a very high frequency with a slight reduction of its propagation constant.

Abstract: The PBX system includes an analog to digital, and digital to analog, (A/D) conversion where the sample size and the sample rate are selectively adjustable. The A/D structure includes registers which hold values indicating the sample size and the sample rate for the conversion. When the A/D structure is configured, the A/D structure reads the values in the register and configures itself to the sample rate and sample size indicated by the registers. When the sample size and sample rate is to be changed, the values in the registers are changed and the A/D structure is reconfigured.

Abstract: A system for managing service calls, including access control modules implementing service access control mechanisms, the system further including master modules each associated with a service, with a set of access control modules and with a set of call processing modules, the system including: a receiver for receiving the calls, a sender for sending information relating to each of the calls to the set of access control modules, a decider for deciding to accept calls on the basis of data received from the set of access control modules, and a sender for sending second information relating to each of the calls to the set of call processing modules if the call has been accepted.

Abstract: A method of dynamically balancing work among a plurality of processing nodes is provided. The method includes the steps of periodically updating a node occupancy value at each of the plurality of processing nodes, communicating the respective node occupancy value of each processing node to at least one work originator node, storing the node occupancy values of the plurality of processing nodes at the at least one work originator node, and selecting, by the at least one work originator node, a processing node to perform a particular task in response to the node occupancy values of the processing nodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for circuit switching connections, which are led outside a switching center, with a plurality of peripheral devices that can be addressed under a common HW address by the message distribution system of the switching center. According to the invention, each of the peripheral devices comprises its own logical address, and a splitting up of the peripheral devices into real peripheral devices, which represent the previously mentioned HW address, and into virtual peripheral devices is given. The invention is characterized in that the logical addresses of the peripheral devices, which are used exclusively for controlling connections led outside of the switching center, are located in areas of the switching network that are not expanded into hardware, whereby a virtual switching network unit is defined, and a splitting up of the switching network into real and virtual switching network units is carried out.

Abstract: A switching apparatus distributes incoming calls to end point terminals that belong to a service group and that interact with the switching apparatus via messages. The messages query the end point terminals by specifying a range and asking those end point terminals that meet a criterion associated with the range to respond. By iteratively narrowing the range, for example, in a binary search fashion, one of the end point terminals is selected. In one embodiment, the range relates to fixed sequence IDs of the end point terminals and the criterion relates to whether an end point terminal is idle or not. In another embodiment, the range incorporates the idle/not idle state of the end point terminals by specifying idle time durations.

Abstract: The connection device connects a telecommunications system to a data processing device which provides telecommunications applications. The telecommunications system and the data processing device in each case have a switching network for through-connecting the relevant telecommunications application. The connection device is a switching device directly connected between the respective switching networks.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an exchange control method, wherein an old host exchange accommodating a remote switch unit or subscribers is adapted to be accommodated in a new host exchange, and its object is to allow call processing control to be performed by the new host exchange while making effective use of the resources of the old host exchange including the remote switch unit. The new host exchange and the old host exchange are connected in an interoffice configuration by a signaling link, and each exchange includes an emulation processor; the old host exchange and the new host exchange perform message editing and exchange between the respective emulation processors, and exchange control is performed in such a manner that when there occurs data or a request for basic control that is normally processed at the old host exchange, the data or request is transferred to the new host exchange, and the new host exchange processes the data or request and sends a notification to the old host exchange.

Abstract: A distributed control system permits local or remote control of equipment. The distributed control system provides a communication bridge through a local control panel between a non-real-time network, such as an Ethernet, and a real-time network, such as a controller area network. Both soft real-time and hard real-time networks are suitable, but hard real-time is preferred. The system uses multiple distributed control units to control various equipment components and is thus highly expandable. The distributed control system may be applied in any environment. When applied to a skid-mounted coiled tubing unit, the distributed control system reduces the amount of hydraulic hose required and therefore makes set up and take down shorter and more economical.

Abstract: A novel customer interaction center server, and a novel method of operating a customer interaction center server, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a network of nodes (each representing one or more subsystem processes) and dependency relationships (indicating which processes depend on what other processes) is used to start the server, and the processes are monitored. In some of these embodiments, a failure of a particular process in the set of target processes is detected and logged and/or handled by implementing a selective shutdown and restart of only a subset of the processes represented in the network, based on the dependency information therein.

Abstract: A partial emulation technique in which only the answers to poll frames and uplink information frames, or the slave part of the protocol, are emulated. All messages from the processor are passed down-link, and emulation is dependent upon the contents of an attendant list (452). In operation, the attendant list (452) is built by detecting responses to poll frames from the main controller (401). Once entries are made in the attendant list, partial emulation of responses to down link poll frames and up link information frames for each entry is allowed. No emulation of down link information frames occurs.

Abstract: An interchange unit for a private telecommunications network executing partly in real time and partly in mixed mode, which interchange unit includes a half-link which has an interface using a protocol used by the interchange unit for connecting real time applications to the outside and an application-oriented interface to at least one mixed mode application. The invention enables dialog between a real time application and a mixed mode application without entailing modification of the real time applications.

Abstract: The present invention includes systems configured to distribute a telephone call, communication systems, communication methods and methods of routing a telephone call to a customer service representative. In one embodiment of the invention, a system configured to distribute a telephone call within a network includes a distributor adapted to connect with a telephone system, the distributor being configured to connect a telephone call using the telephone system and output the telephone call and associated data of the telephone call; and a plurality of customer service representative terminals connected with the distributor and a selected customer service representative terminal being configured to receive the telephone call and the associated data, the distributor and the selected customer service representative terminal being configured to synchronize, application of the telephone call and associated data from the distributor to the selected customer service representative terminal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile communication system that includes a mobile switching center having a multiprocessor configuration and radio base stations subordinate to the mobile switching center, with a single radio base station being connected with mutually independent signaling links from a plurality of processors within the mobile switching center. When a call issued from that or other system is received by a subscriber under that system, call ID information contained in a mobile call demand signal sent from the mobile switching center to the radio base station has a storage area for an identifier of a processor within that mobile switching center. The radio base station allows the destination of return of a mobile call response signal to be the processor indicated by the processor identifier.

Abstract: A distributed control exchange according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of sections for executing, in the form of a distributed process, a call process for a call occurred at an individual line. When a call has occurred at a certain line, one of these sections that executes a call process relating to that line also executes, based on a result of routing, a call process relating to a line to become a destination party. Therefore, the distributed control exchange according to the invention can reduce the resources that are used for cooperation of the plurality of sections and enables stable load distribution. Further, the distributed control exchange realizes cost reduction and improvement of reliability.

Abstract: A method to efficiently allocate telephony resources on a scheduled and dynamic basis, without requiring the shutting down and restarting of a telephony system, comprising the application of two algorithms, one to respond to dynamic changes in resource allocation and on to respond to scheduled resource allocation. The two algorithms work in conjunction with one another to determine the optimum configuration with which to allocate the system's resources, depending upon the estimated demand at a given time of day, and depending upon the actual demand at any given point in time. The method also makes provision for the modification and/or deactivation of the algorithms, and the manual allocation of resources, all by an operator.

Abstract: A “generic” switch messaging protocol is disclosed for message handling and switch supervision in conjunction with a number of switching engines, each of which is conversant with the generic messaging protocol, each switching engine also being conversant with a specific switch messaging protocol. An object oriented development system is also disclosed utilizing a “generic” switch messaging protocol and a plurality of switching engines, each of which is conversant with the generic messaging protocol and each of which is conversant with a specific switch messaging protocol. Certain switch messages are not “genericized” because their functionality is different from the functionality of other switches. These messages generally include initialization and maintenance messages which are hardware specific and have no counterpart in another switch from a different vendor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the management of a telephone automatic branch exchange (11) provided with a management program that makes use of the raw configuration data of a basic configuration enabling its operation. The method comprises a phase of initialization that consists in structuring the configuration into a plurality of objects characterized by parameters and in describing the basic configuration in the form of a raw data base; a phase for the extraction of a configuration diagram that consists in exploring the raw data base so as to prepare a diagram of configuration instructions constituted by a list of configuration instructions; an optional phase for the transfer of the diagram from an external management device to the telephone automatic branch exchange and/or prepare and upload the diagram within the device to store a descriptive condensed image of the current configuration of the telephone automatic branch exchange.

Abstract: A computer connected to an ISDN central office switch via an ISDN digital subscriber line, provides management information regarding activities of a plurality of telephone agents. The computer has shared call appearances with a number of telephone agent stations and receives shared call appearance associated messages from the switch reflecting call handling messages exchanged between the ISDN switch and each of the agent stations. The messages are interpreted by the computer, which generates station status information and management information such as the number of calls handled, average holding time per call, etc. The computer may be connected simultaneously to several central offices via ISDN subscriber lines and generate management information for a group of geographically separated agents, such as home telemarketing agents operating out of their individual homes and connected to different central offices.

Abstract: A system for service control and operations for a telecommunications network. In particular, an architecture and method for a service control and operations element system. The system communicates with a plurality of interconnected telecommunications network elements via a switching and signaling subsystem. The system provides and controls the various functions of the telecommunications network, such as call processing and routing, automatic fault detection and correction, providing services to customers in an interactive manner, fraud detection and control, identification of patterns of abuse of the network, collecting data regarding call activity at each network element, and producing a record of each call placed within the network.

Abstract: Switching equipment for setting up a connection between at least two pieces of terminal equipment wherein terminal equipment-related supplementary information such as, for example, the telephone number of calling terminal equipment is transmitted in addition to the actual voice information. In order to prevent an overload of an exchange processor means of the individual exchange units, it is inventively proposed to provide monitoring means that monitor the usage degree of the individual exchange processor means and, given upper transgression of a specific usage degree, delay the enable of second transmission units provided for the transmission of the terminal equipment-related supplementary information dependent on the usage degree of the corresponding exchange processor means.

Abstract: A signal transfer point distributes a plurality of messages to a plurality of service control points in accordance with a distribution plan. The distribution plan includes each of the service control points. Each of the plurality of messages from the signal transfer point is distributed to a corresponding one of the plurality of service control points in accordance with the distribution plan.

Abstract: A telephone switching and routing system has a first switching apparatus for receiving incoming calls, a first processor connected to the first switching apparatus, and a plurality of destination sites each connected to the first switching apparatus by a telephony trunk, each destination site including a destination processor coupled to the first processor by a communication link separate from the telephony trunk. The first processor connected to the first switching apparatus maintains a list of incoming calls received at the first switching apparatus as a virtual queue, wherein individual ones of the destination processors at the destination sites monitor local agent status and skill sets, and request switching of calls from the published lists as agents become available to handle new calls, and the first processor in response to requests from the destination processors controls the first switching apparatus to switch calls to the requesting destination sites.

Abstract: A method of switching subscriber calls is disclosed that includes receiving a subscriber call request on an access terminal, determining whether the access terminal is in communication with a telecommunications network and routing the subscriber call request through alternate telecommunications equipment if the access terminal is not in communication with the telecommunications network.

Abstract: Computer-controlled switching systems, such as telephone switching systems, like the No. 4ESS™, are extremely complex. Such systems routinely require millions of bytes of program instruction and millions of bytes of data to function. When a system is lost, or is rendered inoperative, reassigning the tasks of the system to a backup or replacing the system can be simplified if a backup copy of the program and data is available. Automatically performing the tasks under program control greatly reduces the complexity of the tasks and improves system reliability. Automatic backup of complex system software and data files is accomplished under program control which periodically directs a switching system to copy its files onto a remotely located administration computer from which the backed up information can be retrieved in the event of a system failure.

Abstract: A process for reassignment of agents based on their performance in the last performance interval; if the performance of an agent is superior, then he/she is moved to a higher campaign. “Higher” refers to a campaign for which the call center receives a greater remuneration whether or not the call center in turn increases the rate of pay of the agent. Similarly, if the performance is inferior, then the agent is moved to a lower campaign, i.e., one for which the call center receives less remuneration. If the performance just meets the objective, then the agent's assignment stays the same. There can be many levels of superior or inferior performance but the basic principle remains the same.

Abstract: A distributed processing system includes a plurality of cells where each cell processes information in response to a type of event, and cells communicate with each other according to an (asynchronous) event-reaction protocol. According to one embodiment, each cell is responsive to a single type of event and includes a plurality of scripts which are executed upon the occurrence of an event of the appropriate type. At least some scripts include directions to send information to one or more scripts in another cell. According to another embodiment, some cells communicate with other cells according to a (synchronous) streaming protocol and other cells communicate according to an (asynchronous) event-reaction protocol. The cells communicate with each other via a shared memory or via a communications bus. The communications protocol utilized by the cells enables the use of virtually any networking medium. Thus, cells may reside in the same chip or may be separated from each other by thousands of miles.